Standard ream wrapping of cutsize reams of paper, e.g., reams of paper having the dimensions in the range of about 8.5″×11″ up to 14″×20″, is typically accomplished with a girth seal on a bottom of the ream. This process is done to maximize the speed at which the wrapping process can be performed. In this method, and as illustrated in FIG. 1, a three piece elevator 1 is used to push a ream 2 into a wrap sheet from below, forming the wrap around the ream 2 on three sides. A bottom girth seal is accomplished via underfold plates 4 that approach the ream 2 from both an upstream and a downstream direction. The three piece elevator 1 allows the elevator 1 to drop out in two stages, allowing the ream 2 to be supported in a middle area 5 while the underfold is being initiated.
The above-described process for wrapping cutsize reams of paper, however, is not as feasible in folio ream applications, as the folio reams of paper are much larger than the cutsize reams of paper, with the folio reams of paper having the dimensions of about 36″×about 52″, for example. As such, the amount of unsupported paper from the folio ream is too great for the cutsize paper wrapping process. To avoid this problem, traditional folio wrappers place the girth seal on a top portion of the ream, which may be accomplished in a variety of different ways, as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. However, having the girth seal on the top of the folio ream poses other problems. Specifically, the glue used to seal the girth seam becomes a pressure point on the top and bottom surfaces of the reams as the reams are stacked. This issue is especially prevalent when lightweight paper is the product being wrapped. Under the weight of multiple reams of stacked folio paper, the girth seams can undesirably crease or otherwise damage several sheets at the top of many of the reams. Additionally, the girth seals on the top of several stacked folio reams collectively create a crowning effect, limiting the number of reams that can be stacked on a pallet.